Metro News & Reviews

Ballot measure: ExpressLanes for the 105 freeway

Under the draft spending plan, there would be two ExpressLanes in each direction on the 105. Photo: Google Maps.

One in a series of posts that will look at projects and programs that would receive funding from the sales tax ballot measure that the Metro Board has approved to send to voters on Nov. 8.

What is it? Two ExpressLanes in each direction on the 105 freeway between the 405 and the 605, a distance of 16 miles — basically from the east side of LAX to Norwalk. The number of current general lanes would stay the same.

The 105 HOV lanes already have direct ramps to the ExpressLanes on the 110 freeway, meaning there would be ExpressLanes from just south of downtown Los Angeles to near LAX. The popular DTLA-to-LAX FlyAway bus already uses the ExpressLanes on the 110 and the current HOV lanes on the 105.

The current ExpressLanes on the 10 and 110. Click to see larger.

Two other projects that receive funding in the draft spending plan and would be built in the 2040s: an extension of the ExpressLanes on the 110 to the 405 and direct HOV connectors between the 110 and the 405.

How do the ExpressLanes work? Carpoolers, motorcycles, vanpools and transit vehicles use the lanes for free. If there’s room, single motorists can pay to use the lanes (on the 10, carpoolers need three or more people to use the lanes for free from 5 a.m. to 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday). More info here about how the ExpressLanes work.

When can I use it? The project has a target opening date of 2027 and target completion date of 2029-31 under the draft spending plan for the ballot measure. The new ballot measure would supply $175 million in funding.

Metro’s ballot measure calls for a half-cent sales tax increase and an extension of the existing Measure R sales tax. Here’s a previous post about the revised spending plan for the ballot measure.

Please visit theplan.metro.net for more info and use the hashtag #metroplan when discussing on social media. The Metro Board approved sending the ballot measure to county voters at their June 23 meeting.

Other posts about projects and programs to be funded by the ballot measure

Current Express Lanes are NOT used for free. Stop spreading false information. Even is you carpool on the 110 Express Lanes, you must pay $25 for the transponder, PLUS a $1 monthly maintenance fee. STOP SAYING IT’S FREE IF YOU CARPOOL: IT’S NOT!!!

Until there is a full end of the monthly maintenance fee (not just a suspension) I am opposed to changing any more carpool lanes into express lanes.

I used to commonly use the 110 carpool lanes for work (at one point averaging about 5 or 6 round trips a month.) It was great. My employer won’t pay for the transponder (but will allow us to use them) and my potential usage frequency is below the cut-off. And now there are times where I would pay the charge for a solo use.

10 + years to complete this is a travesty and waste of funds. Express Lanes have on the 110 remain packed and creep northbound to DTLA starting earlier than 7am. I agree with calwatch – just change the HOV rules, but don’t waste this time and money to revamp the lanes with a transponder system that is arguably already outdated. As we have seen with lane expansion on the 405, traffic remains unfazed. These band aid responses to a cannonball wound fail to resolve the region’s transportation issues and divert time, attention, and $$$ from worthwhile projects.

well express lanes does not solve the traffic problem, freeway and express lanes remain packed on rushing hours. The main problem is people keep driving on it, and they don’t want to ditch driving to use express buses instead. Also the toll roads aren’t expensive at all, only a few bucks per day is NOTHING to the drivers. I even suggest to convert the current express lanes to the potential bus lanes so drivers will no longer to use it unless they ride the bus. This is how we encourage people to ditch their driving habit to release the traffic congestions. And Metro has to increase the frequency of the express routes, especially the major route Silver Line, 460 to allow people travel easier.